1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to electronic signal cabling devices. In particular, it relates to a cable structure which eliminates the signal interference and distortion caused by frequency shifting in conventional signal cables that transmit audio, video, audio/video, and/or data signals between electronic components.
2. Background
There has been a steady and consistent improvement in the quality in capability of electronic components, such as those used to produce audio data or stereo sound systems, as well as video and audio/video (“AV”). Over many years of progress, the prior art has produced many types of components which are capable of creating exceptionally accurate reproduction's of audio and/or AV works. As electronic components have improved, the signal quality they produce has reached the point where the effect of the cables used to interconnect the components can have a significant effect on the overall quality of the audio or AV output of the system as a whole.
Recognizing that cables can have a noticeable effect on signal output quality, the prior art has attempted to address this issue and to eliminate signal degradation caused by the signal cable when they are connecting system components, by using a variety of techniques. One such technique has been the development of shields which encase the signal leads inside of the signal cable. The use of shields protects the signal leads from external signals which are not generated by the system components As a result, shields have improved overall system performance by protecting signal transfers from being degraded by noise or signals from the external environment.
Another problem often found in data transfer cables, whether used for audio or general data transfer purposes, is signal degradation caused by cable impedance. High impedance cables can reduce received signal strength, and thereby degrade overall system performance. Prior art attempts to reduce this problem included the use of low impedance cabling to interconnect components on stereo systems, home theater systems, and other devices. While the use of low impedance cables has improved signal transfer quality, it only addresses one problem associated with the cable itself.
Another problem associated with signal transfer cables is selective frequency time shifting. This problem is not caused by external factors, or cable impedance, but instead it is created by the signal when it passes through with the cable. In particular, the signal itself can cause degradation due to the magnetic fields it generates during the signal transfer process. The magnetic fields generated by the leads in the cable result in the alteration of the signal. In particular, the magnetic fields generated by the signals themselves have an adverse timing effect on portions of the signals as they travel through the signal cable leads. This timing effect is known as selective frequency shifting. Typically, signal time shifting becomes increases as the frequency increases. As the signals travel through the signal cable, they generate magnetic fields which produce an impedance. This impedance has the effect of increasing the time it takes for selective frequencies to travel through cable, such that signals on different frequencies which simultaneously entered the cable at one end will exit the cable at slightly different times. As a result, a high-quality audio or AV signal produced by the system will have its signal degraded because selective frequencies will travel through the signal cable at a slower rate due to interference generated by the signal itself. At the other end of the signal cable, some frequencies arrive before others. This time delay then prevents the signal from being output as a true reproduction of the signal input at the other end of the signal cable. This time shifting problem has not been adequately addressed by the prior art. It would be desirable to have a method of preventing, or reducing the effects of, selective frequency time shifting.
While the prior art has successfully solved many problems associated with signal transfer via cables, it has not effectively addressed the issue of selective frequency time shifting of signals as the signals travel through data interconnect cables.